Speeding was the top issue at a community meeting on Dec. 7 held
by state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) last week.

The meeting took place at IS 227 in East Elmhurst, attracting
over 30 residents from the area as well as Elmhurst, Astoria and
Jackson Heights. Peralta, however, did not attend the meeting as
planned, because of legislative commitments, according to his
staff.

Representatives from different city agencies took questions from
the audience, who wrote down their issues on index cards prior and
during the meeting.

When the index cards were all answered, the meeting became an
open question and answer forum.

“A race zone” is how Democratic District Leader George Dixon
described 23rd Avenue from 94th Street to Ditmars Boulevard. He was
the first to bring up the issue of speeding in the
neighborhood.

“There’s a senior home, there’s a nursing home there,” Dixon
said “There is no traffic control.”

He added that there have been seven accidents on the avenue, and
that a house on 100th Street had been crashed into three times on
different occasions.

Dalila Hall, the deputy borough commissioner of the Department
of Transportation, responded that a study would be done of the
area.

But Dixon was not satisfied with the DOT’s answer.

“We’ve been asking for something to be done on that street for
years,” he said. “Does someone need to be killed?”

Hall said that signs are placed according to federal standards.
She added that digital speeding signs have been made which display
the figure of a skeleton when a driver goes above New York’s 30 mph
speed limit.

Yanapa said that more signs would help new members of the
community and tourists.

“By having the signs it’s a way of maintaining our communities,”
he said.